Many types of personal watercraft, for example, whitewater, sea, and recreational flat-water kayaks, may include various items of outfitting configured to improve the comfort and fit of the watercraft. For example, a kayak may include a contoured seat to position and support the user within the cockpit, a back support to support the lower back of the user, and various types of thigh braces, foot braces and hip braces against which the user may exert force to control the boat, and which may help to hold the user in the boat.
To improve the performance of a kayak, a user may modify factory-installed outfitting to fit the user's body more precisely. For example, customized hip pads may be attached to the hip braces. These hip pads may help to hold the user's hips more snugly in the cockpit so that movements of the user's hips are transferred to the kayak more precisely and efficiently. Hip pads are typically formed from closed-cell foam, and are attached to the hip braces with a strong adhesive, such as contact cement, to prevent the pads from shifting or detaching during use. Additionally, extra padding may be added the seat, back support, thigh braces, etc. to likewise improve the fit of the boat.
Where a user anticipates running difficult whitewater or performing advanced freestyle moves, the user may install very snug outfitting for improved boat control. However, a great deal of time may be spent paddling easier water between difficult stretches, or sitting in the kayak in the relative calm of an eddy between freestyle sessions. In these situations, the outfitting may cause discomfort. However, because the outfitting may be glued into the cockpit and have a fixed shape, it may be difficult or impossible to loosen the outfitting between rapids or freestyle sessions. Likewise, where a looser, more comfortable fit in a kayak is desired, it may be difficult to increase the snugness of the outfitting for periods when more boat control is desired. Furthermore, user-installed outfitting is typically configured to fit just a single user optimally, thus making it difficult for multiple users to use a single watercraft.